The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER. 18th, 1924. THE STRIKE MANIA. The hotheads who control the waterside labour unions in New South Wales

Hokitika Guardian, 18 November 1924, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER. 18th, 1924. THE STRIKE MANIA. The hotheads who control the waterside labour unions in New South Wales

■seem determined to involve the whole el the Commonwealth in a disastrous intcrlereiice with shipping. The watcr■siders, remarks an exchange. Were beaten in their last attempt to dictate terms to the employers and incidentally they lost the sympathy of the iiuioiiis in other States, so that the present ‘•protest’’ is likely to lie a half-hearted affair away from Sydney. When the overtime stiike was declared, the Melbourne Wharf Labourers’ I’uioii and the Port Philip Stevedores’ Association promptly rejected the proposals and decided to continue work as usual, and there is no doubt that their action was an indication of the feeling among unionists outside Sydney. The .Melbourne men. indeed, did not hesitate Li declare the latest move in the Mother State to he "sheer stupidity," and they were outspoken in their condemnation of the strike. According to the “Age", which doubtless draws its iuLirniation front unionist ei teles, the •Sydney branches of the Waterside Workers’ Federation have been ‘•continually squealing to other Stales for assistance since the 1917 stiike." and it is indicated that the financial difficulties brought about by the mismanagement in Sydney seven years ago have never been overcome. 11l these eiieiniistnneo.s Sydney did not venture this year to promote a full strike, but contented itself with an irritation strike. However, the Mellsuiriie men would have nothing to do with the movement, and if the I’nioiis in other States had been a> strong as those of Victoria the Sydney unions would have been isolated. The federation, admittedly. has considerable iiillnciice, liecause apart from other considerations it can count on the class loyalty of men who are not in sympathy with the leaders, and. moreover, it has extensive disciplinary power. It needed ((image on Ha* pail of the Melbourne men to defy the federation in face of the snsI'ension of the Victorian unions, for if the Melbourne and Port Phillip unionists should at any time in their future have a grievance of their own they cannot expect support from the federation, and that means the absence of support from all classes of transport workers, including seamen and railwaymen. The object of the overtime strike, as the cable messages have explained, is to break down the ‘'bureau” system of distributing work on the waterfront. This is a survival of the system inttoduecd during the war. and tho sore point with the Sydney unionists is that the bureau has continued to find employment for non-unionists. Broadly, the issue is whether men outside the unions are to he allowed to work on the wharves, and it is anticipated the trouble will reach a crisis this side of Christmas. The effect will be. undoubtedly to deprive the unions of the sympathy of those employers who have been giving preference to unionists, and the growing congestion of cargo awaiting shipment will raise the free labour issue in an acute form. So far other transport workers have managed to keep clear of the fight, hut it is expected in Australia that the seamen and the carters mav make common cause with the wntersiders, and perhaps the discontented railu nymcii in Xew South Wales will join in tho struggle. There is no suggestion as yet that New Zealand may he involved, except through the delay of Australian cargo, hut developments will l>e watched with keen interest.